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>> Thursday, December 27, 2012

Who thought Interactive Dreams would see version 5 of the engine to see the light of day right before the start of 2013? Version 4 (made in 2008) was really outdated and had some bugs (due to Blogger getting improved but our site did not). The differences are small I guess, but the size is really streamlined (it contains 50% less code, built up from the ground again). We now have a top link bar (which doesnt work yet) but the overall layout stayed the same. I hope this will keep the site interesting in the coming year! If you have any tips on how you would like the site to look like, let us know!

Ps. The picture is a screenshot of version 2 (2006), the one I am still the most proud of, it was full of features like the link tree and the top columns, but in the end it was getting slower and slower, unfortunately.
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A few sources posted a link to an eBay auction brought to our attention by Alan's CD-i Zone: This is (rumoured to be) a "specially designed and adapted CD-i player for use in a doctor's surgery". According to the seller, it is based on a 450 player, with a top loading and locking mechanism. The description is below:

"This is a very rare version of the Philips CD-i that is as far as I can tell completely undocumented anywhere on the internet so far. I find no search results and no one else seems to have heard about it before aside from one person on www.digitpress.com forums that says he's seen one before. I am the only one that I know of who owns one as of right now.

I believe this system to be a retooled CD-i 450 or 470, it has a built in Digital Video Cartridge. It has been designed for a doctor's office. The CD lid has a locking mechanism that can be locked with a star bit. It uses a standard power supply and controller as well as either A/V cables or a Coaxial cable to hook it up to your TV. [As many other CD-i players these days,] it has a dead Time Keeper Battery."

At first I was a little sceptical if this was really a CD-i player. From the box itself, it's nowhere to be recognized as a CD-i player. But then, the controller port on the back is the exact one, but even more: The power button on the right side is the same power button as on a 450 player (and it's even positioned on the same place). It looks like if the shell is completely made of metal, and probably units like these were used as a kiosk system, allowing to advice people about their health.

Apparently a CD-i version of Rise of the Robots may exist in proto form, according to its original coder, Pete Dabbs. "Proto versions, depends really, what I've still got on a hard drive here could be classed as one, the probably 30 versions Philips had for testing etc could be too, if any of those survive or not, I have no idea." We also asked him five years ago.

"I've always found it a bit weird that I did do two "final" versions, one for DV and one not because there was a massive rush on at the end of the project and I didn't have time to fit code for both into the same thing so it looks like only the non-DV version got released and got packaged as requiring (or using) DV?? I've finally managed to dig out what may be a RotR CD-i proto. It's dated (from the path_tbl) 17/05/1995. I can't remember exactly when Rise was released so don't know how close that is to final. It's nothing special, just a Philips CD (gold label, those things cost stupid money at the time) with my untidy scrawl on it. "

In other words; Interactive Dreams is still looking for the DV version! The version was programmed ro have a changing scenery, including effects like tilting would start a different sequence in the back. Source: Digit Press forums

>> Sunday, December 23, 2012

Dear CD-i fans - It's been another quiet year here at Interactive Dreams but nonetheless our office had lots of fun keeping it alive for already seven years now. I'm very thankful our CD-i member Alan started his CD-i Zone at Facebook to reach a much wider public for his valuable CD-i memories. All interesting trivia and pics that surface we'll show here at Interactive Dreams, so next year will happen as always. I'm sure a few small surprises will pass by (Hi Devin!). We at Interactive Dreams wish you a very happy Christmas and thank you all for your support.
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Welcome to CD-i!

Welcome to the wonderful world of Interactive Dreams. You've just come to a warmhearted place all dedicated to the Philips CD-i. With attention to detail and quality, 2015 should see the rise of CD-i as a Retrogaming platform. For many CD-i has gone as a relative obscurity had it not been for the intervention of websites like The Black Moon Project and Interactive Dreams. Hopefully we're doing our bit to set the record straight along with all the other great CD-i projects.

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Do you have tips on what to post about CD-i? Can you help us with screenshots, videos or reviews? We'd love it when you share it with us! Please email us at interactive [dot] dreams [at] gmail [dot] com, thanks in advance!